LCD flat-panel computer monitors may drop to unexpected lows of $599-699 before the end of the year due to an oversupply of LCD screens. The oversupply is due to several factors: LCD makers have been gearing up production levels and manufacturing plants for a while to compensate for past supply problems; producers have better technology for making larger motherglass from which to cut the screens; and non-standard screen sizes (e.g., 15.7″ and 21.3″) are yielding more panels from the motherglass. It's not clear how low prices will actually drop or if those prices will be reached only with rebates, but the price drop will definitely be significant … and probably short-lived.

Three months ago, the average LCD panel cost $953, compared to the average CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor price of $194 (figures from August). Prices have been dropping, however, with some 15″ panels going for under $699 already (down about $200). As prices continue to fall, analysts expect to see cheap computers bundled with cheap LCD panels, bringing the package in for $1,500 or less. If LCD panel prices dropped to $499, analysts feel they will really become popular. Even with a huge increase in sales, though, the highest estimates for LCD panel marketshare by 2004 are at only 18%, due primarily to the high prices we've had for so long.

LCD panels have been selling well recently, however, despite those high prices. August '99 to August this year saw 133% sales growth, and percentage increases for LCD monitor sales have dwarfed sales growth percentages for CRT monitors (61% against 17% at PC Connection). The expected price drop should only help accelerate those trends.

SAM'S OPINION
What great, unexpected news this is! LCD panels are awesome, and the undersupply was expected to continue for a while, since LCD screens are going into handhelds, laptops, Internet applicance, MP3 players, and cellphones in addition to flat-panel computer monitors. I guess it makes sense that the increased manufacturing capabilities and better glass yield technologies would eventually produce an oversupply, but that sort of common sense doesn't happen in the computer industry all the time. Take memory, for instance. We seem to have constant price drop/price inflation problems as supplies go up and down, instead of a simple but steady curve towards higher yields as memory makers increase (or try to increase) their manufacturing capacities and technologies.

Anyway, one thing you need to watch out for as prices on LCD panels drop is quality. By December, 15″-range panels will be comparatively cheap, but they're also more likely to have quality problems (reduced viewing angle, dead pixels, etc.) or analog-only connections (which produce less crisp pictures). Thus, if you think about buying one you may be better off taking advantage of the price drops on the larger, name-brand screens–which will still be expensive, however, but significantly less so. It would totally stink to finally bring a flat-panel home only to have pixels start dying a month later.

You should also be aware that most analysts think prices will start to head back up once the holidays are over, so it seems like we'll be in a window of opportunity rather than a continuing pricing downtrend. If you haven't used a flat-panel display before, go to your local computer store or electronics shop and spend a few minutes with one to get a taste of what you've been missing. The picture is great and they're SO much smaller than the bulky CRT beasts most of still use. You can also check out our older review of a Silicon Graphics 17.3″ flat panel … mmmmm …

Maybe the long-hyped Philips flat screen TV will drop to only nine thousand now …

Doesn't cut it…(6:41pm EST Fri Oct 20 2000)I have a 22″ screen at home… sure it's bulky, but such a beautiful picture. I'm never going back to 15″ (even 17″ is hard to stare at).

This seems like an attempt to sell of old/crappy goods the manufacturer's have stockpiled (I'm sure due to the difficulty of manufacturing these screens). Would you buy older/buggy pentium III's from Intel for a slightly reduced price?

I'm just curious why they don't make computer screens wide-screen? Shouldn't they follow the path of HDTV? I realize it's not always for movie viewing, but it does fill the peripheral vision better (it's more natural)… - by God™

I come from a very poor family, I have only recently come across enought money to buy a computer and I am very addicted…I just love it.

I want to be a computer geek, but I am way behind. I checked all the wonderfull resources on this site, but I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for sites that would help me become a full fledged computer geek.

Again, I apologize if this is the wrong forum.

Thank you. - by wannabegeek

well…(8:42pm EST Fri Oct 20 2000)This is one of them. Just read and click on all the little links. True “geekdom” only comes when you decide to put off going out so that you can stay home and figure out how to do something neat your computer. If you pay attention here everyday and click on links every day, you will go to many geeky sites, and become….geekier…enjoy it…let it happen…don't force it…you must let it fill you, and let its energy flow through you. One day…you will be a Geek - by distempered

Geek In Training(9:32pm EST Fri Oct 20 2000)Wannabegeek,Don't worry, these guys never flame newbies. There is absolutely no fun in flaming humble people; it's the arrogant ones they shoot down.

In answer to your question I would recommend www.ZDNet.com. It helps you keep up on current and developing technologies and products. Going to the 'Computers and Internet' section of www.Yahoo.com is a good place to just explore. While it doesn't have any content itself, it has a lot of links.

You already have what I would consider the most important part, a desire to learn more. I don't care how rich you are, if you don't want to learn, you won't. I don't care how poor you are, if you do want to learn, you probably will. One of the great things about the internet is the amount of information that's available for free(not counting you ISP bill). Keep up the good work. - by The Hayseed

being a geek(9:52pm EST Fri Oct 20 2000)being a “geek” doesn't require having money. infact, I think most of the biggest computer geeks I know, don't have top end machines, cause they can't afford them – that's why they overclock. a buddy of mine works for IBM, while I'm a measely grad student. He paid $5000CDN for his system (TBird 800MHz, 256MB PC133 CAS2, GeForce2, 21inch monitor, etc” – I on the other hand built this system, AMD Duron 600 o/c to 800, 128MB RAM, Voodoo 3 2000 o'cd to 3500 level, similar HD storage, and a 17″ monitor for about $1000 ;)foolio he is I say.- by dd

LCD displays still don't cut it(10:58pm EST Fri Oct 20 2000)I'd love to upgrade to a radiation free LCD screen but the picture quality still doesn't cut it. If you need to do any graphics work then you'd be hard pressed to use an LCD display. I saw a Mitsubishi 15″ LCD display in Japan a few months ago. The quality was almost as good as the best Cathode models but at about US$1000 for a 15″ capable of only 1024×768, thats still a step backwards. As for every other LCD screen I've seen, the quality can only be described as bad. I'm sceptical that LCD displays will ever be able to match CTR displays in picture quality. Some new alternative technology is probably needed before flat panels become realistic alternative for many desk tops. - by Chainsaw Sculptor

Even worse…doing graphics on someone else's computer using buddyhelp.com from a laptop on a 56k modem because they don't know how to use Photoshop. Strange experience, almost frustrating, but an excellent opportunity to display my mad skillz. I laughed for hours afterward because it actually worked…

Anyways, LCD screens suck. Maybe it's just the texture, or the cells, or the refresh rate, or the bleeding, or something subliminal that I can't understand.

I need to stop reading Popular Science though, or I'll be sitting on the edge of my seat for three years waiting for crisp 3-color electroluminescent displays that are only a millimeter thick.- by format c:

Big Screen Rock(2:06am EST Sat Oct 21 2000)I own a Classic AMD 700 With 21″ 1600X1200 Primary and 19″ Secondary 1240X1024 with a G400Max 32MB DFual Head and I have to say that bigger montiors are simply the best way to get a clear picture of what you are working with in Photoshop and MAX. - by bum

Big Screen Rock(2:09am EST Sat Oct 21 2000)I own a Classic AMD 700 With 21″ 1600X1200 Primary and 19″ Secondary 1240X1024 with a G400Max 32MB Dual Head and I have to say that bigger montiors are simply the best way to get a clear picture of what you are working with in Photoshop and MAX. Also LCD Montiors although moderately priced will still be blurry and horrid for playing games like Quake 3 and Unreal or Duke Nukem 4. They are okay I guess for graphic programs but nothing can beat a good ol 21″ at .20 dot pitch. “mmmmm………… razor sharp resolution at a max of 20xx X 15xx.” - by bum

I'l let you know … (10:22am EST Sat Oct 21 2000) I just … hold on while I take a couple of deep breaths here to calm myself … ordered my new computer from Dell. Of interest to this discussion is that most of the LCD monitors are 15 or 18″ but Samsung (and just a few other manufacturers) are making 17″ displays. These are at least $1000 cheaper than the bigger ones, but have substantially more screen real estate than 15″ (someone out there no doubt knows what percentage more — it's surprisingly large, though). Dell's 17″ LCD is actually the Samsung, but in a different housing. Cost was about $1200. Dot pitch is .26. I'd love a 21″ CRT, but I'd have to sit so far away from my desk that I couldn't reach the keyboard! So, as I said, I'll let you know. Perhaps also interesting to this crowd of uber-geeks and geeklets was some of the dynamics of the system cost. As passionate readers of this site are well aware, AMD just substantially dropped the costs of their CPUs. No doubt in reaction to this, Dell (an Intel shop) had a “special” last week which included a $3-500 discount (along with a free CD-RW (DVD included, too) and a low end, but perfectly serviceable Lexmark printer. Total cost for a 933MHz, 256 MB RAM, GEForce video card with 32 MB vRam, 40GB 7200 RPM hard drive, SoundBlaster Live card, some brand speakers with subwoofer, DVD, CD-RW, Win98 ME, Office suite, printer and 17″ LCD monitor was less than $3000. God, I love being alive these days … Primary use for this computer will be digital music recording (Cakewalk Studio Pro kind of stuff). Next project is to swap out motherboards on the old system and add it to our home network for my son. Sweet. - by GaryG

Update me please – are these monitors all-digital?(5:47pm EST Sat Oct 21 2000)Have they come with a standard for fully digital video card/monotor link or is it the same idiotic bullshit when video card makes ANALOG signal that is later RE-DGIGTIZED by the monitor? If so. do i need a special card? I've got Matrox G400, can i connect these LCD displays to is othervise than via VGA cable? - by chuck

Soundblaster doesn't cut it either(1:46am EST Sun Oct 22 2000)GaryG. If you're wanting to do digital music recording you really should treat yourself to something better than a soundblaster. You should get a Yamaha SW1000XG or something at least at that level or better unless you want to digitize a lot of hiss. - by Chainsaw Sculptor

Being a geek(1:54am EST Sun Oct 22 2000)If you want to be the best geek, stay with the people. Make friends that are interested in what you are interested in.

Learning stuff about computers is great, but human interaction (live) is needed to become happy and great.

I'm just trying to say:

GO OUTSIDE!

Keep away from the internet if it is wasting your time.

Regarding LCD…Still too expensive!

Rather have two monitors, than one LCD

Shaggadoo@hotmail.com - by ETA_HININ

The price of SDRAM is going through the floor(1:59am EST Sun Oct 22 2000)Something that may be of interest to some people is the price of SDRAM in Taiwan (retail) has dropped big time.128mb sticks are going for just US$74 compared to just a few days ago at around US$100 and 2 months ago at about US$130. Could DDR be finally on the way or did the projected end of year RAM shortage never happen? - by Chainsaw Sculptor

Wide-screen(7:46am EST Mon Oct 23 2000)You can get wide-screen flat panel monitors, but you need a system bearing the mark of the striped fruit.

Laptop(9:11am EST Mon Oct 23 2000)My work computer is a Toshiba laptop (500.mhz P-III) with a 14″ 1024×768 screen. I really like having the LCD screen, and wouldn't want to switch to a desktop with a CRT monitor (I wouldn't mind having a laptop with a 15″ screen though). For me, the laptop, primarilly because of it's screen, is a perfectly adequate substitute for a desktop system. At home, I still have a desktop system with a CRT monitor, because LCD's are too expensive, and I don't need to move my home computer around (I have the laptop for that). - by Laptop Guy

DVI(9:36am EST Mon Oct 23 2000)Hey Chuck, in case you see this you'd be interested in a video card with a DVI interface. It should typically have the standard analog 15 pin interface as well.

Then you need a digital LCD interface monitor that will accept the DVI interface. I put together a system with an IBM T55D 15″ LCD and a Guillemot Geforce DVI card. Worked quite well in this instance.

Hope that helped someone. - by LCDsareCoolbut$$$

all talk(10:16am EST Mon Oct 23 2000)Quit talking about these LEPs and get some out here. Forget LCD. Bring on the LEPs! Now! - by www.den-of-slack.com

LCD Quality(11:53am EST Mon Oct 23 2000)People you are making big mistake here.LCD have a way better sharpness and quality over all comparing to any CRT.

Just make sure you have digital output from video card and digital input in the LCD monitor. Also the chipset LCD uses makes all the difference … I heard that LCDs with Genesis chips are the best. - by Pred-R

hey(1:30pm EST Mon Oct 23 2000)Why did you delete my comment ? Deepest appologies if it was offensive. Its taken out of Eminem, I thought I could get away with it because it was tuneful.Very sorry indeed. - by cant say for legal r

hey(1:31pm EST Mon Oct 23 2000)Why did you delete my comment ? Deepest appologies if it was offensive. Its taken out of Eminem, I thought I could get away with it because it was tuneful.Very sorry indeed.I have upmost respect for Geek.com - by cant say for legal r